Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in photography but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Marc Anthony Smith, a photographer based in Kernersville, NC, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I am a photographer and love photographing a few different genres. My main focus is high school seniors and real estate photography. I also shoot headshots and branding images for business owners.
Tell us about yourself
I originally started taking pictures as a kid, around 8 or 9 years old. We had an old Kodak Instamatic, and we didn't have a lot of money, so every click was important. LOL, I learned the craft from my dad, who was a photographer as well. In 1997 he passed away, and I decided then that I would turn my hobby into my profession. I studied from some of the best in the country, including Doug Gordon, Bambi Cantrell, and Monte Zucker, and haven't stopped learning yet. I've seen the change from film to digital and now to mirrorless cameras. It never gets old. My family is what motivates me. My wife and two beautiful daughters are all I need.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Wow. Who can say just one thing? In reality, making it as a business owner past seven years is pretty big. Sharing my knowledge with others at conferences and classes is also big. For me, every box checked is an accomplishment, and I'm extremely grateful to be able to do what I do—putting smiles on people's faces. It matters.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
I believe one of the hardest things is setting boundaries. It's easy as a business owner to always be ON! But the reality is that none of us can do that successfully. We have to learn to delegate. We have to learn to say NO. We have to learn to spend time with the people we say we love. Setting boundaries makes it easier for all of that to happen.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Never stop learning. You will NEVER know all there is to know about whatever you do. So keep learning, keep growing. Never lose that hunger for more.
- Understand your finances. "Profit First" is one of the most amazing books I've read, and it helps to learn a strategy to ensure that you are paying yourself.
- Build a strong network. Not just yes people who will tell you what you want to hear. A network that will support you but will also check you. A group of people that can pour into you and that you can pour into as well. Iron sharpens iron. I never want to be the smartest person in the room. I always want to be around people who can push me and help me to go beyond what I thought I could do.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://imagesbymarcanthony.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/imagesbymarcanthony
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imagesbymarcanthony/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/imagesbymarcanthony/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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